Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a communication apparatus connectable to a network and an image display apparatus having the same.
Description of the Related Art
Direct view type and projection type image display apparatuses configured to display an image on a display unit or to project an image on a screen, based on a signal input from a source device, such as a video device and a computer, are demanded to accept an input signal from a variety of source devices. For example, these image display apparatuses need to accept an input of a LAN signal through the Ethernet®, an HDMI signal from the source device, such as a DVD player and a Blu-ray Disc player, a DVI signal from the computer, and a USB signal from a USB unit. Herein, HDMI stands for High-Definition Multimedia Interface, DVI stands for Digital Visual Interface, and USB stands for Universal Serial Bus.
An image display apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. (“JP”) 2006-285167 switches a plurality of input terminals through an input selector, confirms whether a video signal is connected (input), and displays a disconnection of the video signal if the video signal is disconnected or a connected video signal if the video signal is connected. When a plurality of video signals are connected, a connection status of the video signal is displayed so as to enable a user to select a video signal to be connected or so as to automatically select a video signal.
JP 2014-71436 discloses an image display apparatus connectable, as a LAN input signal, with a signal conforming to the Ethernet standard and a signal conforming to the HDBaseT standard.
However, the image display apparatus disclosed in JP 2006-285167 cannot handle a change of the connection status once confirming a signal connection status in the input terminal and setting the signal to be connected in the initial state when the power is projected. More specifically, when the set signal is disconnected or when a signal is newly connected to the input terminal, this image display apparatus cannot properly connect the input signal by monitoring the connection state, displaying the connection status, and automatically reconnecting the signal.
The image display apparatus displaced in JP 2014-71436 previously sets one of the two types of signals, Ethernet and HDBaseT signals connectable to the LAN, powers off a communication circuit for the non-set input signal, powers on a communication circuit for the set input signal, and waits for the set signal through the input terminal. Since the Ethernet and HDBaseT use LAN cables having the same shaped connector, both LAN cables may be erroneously inserted. However, even when the LAN cable is erroneously inserted into the non-set input terminal, no warning is displayed and a user cannot recognize the apparatus state and the signal connection status at the input terminal.
The HDBaseT operation mode includes a LAN mode and a non-LAN mode, and when the non-LAN operation mode is set, the LAN connection is available by the Ethernet. However, JP 2014-71436 selects only one of the HDBaseT and Ethernet input signals, and is unlikely to use the LAN connection depending on the signal connection status and the operation mode.